Sheet feeding and registering mechanism



H; J. LUEHRS SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM May 12, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS y 2, 1953 H. J. LUEHRS 2,638,343

' SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM Fiied Jan. 24, 1952 -4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 'IIIII/I/IIII/II/I/I/I/lll/ INVENTOR ATTORNEYS May 12, 1953 H. JILUEHRS 2,638,343.

FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM 4 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 24, 1952 ATTORNEY 5 y 1953 H J I,.UEHR$ 2,638,343

' SHEET FEEDING mp ns'crsmzmc macmmxsu 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 24,' 1952 Patented May 12, i953 SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM Hans J. Luehrs, Westerly, R. I., assignor to C. B.

Cottrell 8 Sons Company,

Westerly, R. I., a

corporation of Delaware Application January 24, 1952, Serial No. 267,960 30 Claims. (01. 271-48) This invention relates to certain improvements in the sheet feeding and registering mechanism which forms the subject matter of my copending application filed April 4, 1951, Serial No. 219,198, in which application a sheet fed endless'carrier coacts with means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier and with means for front and sideregistering the temporarily released sheets before they are transferred by the endless carrier to a suitable sheet receiving ele- 'ment, as an impression cylinder of a rotary printing press. This present invention includes the provision 'of traveling front and side sheet register stops Ton the endless carrier and sheet supporting and advancing means for evening the temporarily released sheets at the same time as they are advanced into register with the said front and side sheet register stops.

This invention more particularly includes sideby-side groups or rows of diverging angularly positioned sheet supporting and advancing rollers ,which are operable to even and register the sheets. Q we 7 v w This invention also includes meansfor independently adjusting the angularity of the rollers of each group or row to accomplish the proper evening and registering of the sheets.

' This invention also includes the means for positioning the side sheet register stops on the endless carrier along either side edge of the sheets to properly position the sheets laterally after they have been evened.

This invention also includes a transfer cylinder as the means for taking the evened and registered sheets from'the endless carrier and transferring them to the sheet receiving element which may be an impression cylinder of a multi-color rotory sheet printing press. 1

This invention also includes means for driving the endless carrier at a certain surface speedand the sheet evening and registering means ata higher surface speed." e

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in

which 1 Fig. 1 represents a detail view in side elevation, partly in section, of the sheet fedendless carrier and the rollers for evening the sheets and front and side registering them; the-impression; plate and transfer cylinders being shown in diagram; Fig. 2 represents a detail view of the gearing which operatively connects theimpression-,'plate and transfer "cylinders to the endless carrier; --Fig'. 3 represents a detail'view of the gearing 2 which drives the groups or rows of sheet evening and registering rollers from the endless carrier;

Fig. 4' represents a detail plan view of the sideby-side groups or rows of diverging, angularly positioned sheet supporting and advancing rollers;

Fig. 5 represents a detail vertical view of the sheet receiving end of the endless carrier and its adjacent elements;

Fig. 6 represents a detail side View on an enlarged scale of the sheet evening and registering rollers and the means for adjusting them angularly;

Fig. 7 represents an enlarged detail side view of one of the side chains of the endless carrier and one of its sets of head grippers, front sheet register stops and one of a pair of the side sheet register stops;

Fig. 8 represents a detail plan view of the same;

Fig. 9 represents a detail longitudinal section showing one of the head grippers and a front sheet register stop;

Fig. 10 represents a same;

Fig. 11 represents a longitudinal section of one of the side sheet register stops;

Fig. 12 represents a detail front view same; and

Fig. 13 represents a longitudinal vertical section showing one of the endless carrier belt pulleys.

The rotory printing press frame I may be of any desired form and construction for mounting the various elements to be hereinafter described. The impression and plate cylinders ofthe printing unit are denoted by 2 and 3 respectively, the impression cylinder being provided with one detail front view of the 0f the or more sets of sheet grippers 4.

The sheet feeding, evening and registering mechanism is shown ascomprising the following elements.

- The sheet fed endless carrier is shown as comprising a pair of side chains 5 passing around front and rear pairs of sprockets 6 and 1 respectively, which sprockets are fast on front and rear cross shafts 8 and 9. This endless carrier is also provided with spaced sets of head grippers,

the movable jaws I!) being mounted on crossbars I] and the fixed jaws l2 being mounted on fixed crossbars l3.

' The movable jaws In of the head grippers are provided withlevers I4. The usual springs l5 arep'rovided for yieldingly holding the gripper jaws [0 closed. I v

A fixed cam l6 islocated at the front or sheet receiving end of the endless carrier for opening the gripper jaws Hi to receive the sheets fed thereto at the desired surface speed by any suitable means.

A second fixed cam l! is located between the front and rear ends of the endless carrier in position to engage the gripper levers M to partially open the grippers for temporarily-releasing the sheets to permit them to be evened and registered as will hereinafter appear.

A third fixed cam I8 is located .at the rear or sheet transfer end of the endless carrier in position to engage the gripper lever I4 for opening the grippers to release the sheets therefrom.

The endless carrier is also provided, between the side chains 5, with endless belts l9 which pass around pulleys 2! on the rear cross shaft 9 and in contact with the tops and bottoms of the pulleys 20 on the front cross shaft 8. These belts I9 also pass around the rollers 22 and 23 and belt tightener pulleys 24 located :in front of the endless carrier.

. Front register stops v2 are mounted on the fixed -cross-bars [-3 of the endless carrier, which stops project below the grippers l0, -|2, on oppo- I.

site sides thereof.

Theendlessearrier chains 5 are provided with spaced cross-bars 26. Sheet side register stops 2'! are carried by the cross-bars at each end thereof, which stops are adjustable along the moss-bars to bring the stops at one end of the cross-bars into position-toside register the sheets and the sheet register stops at the otherend of the cross bars out of position to side register the sheets.

l he belt pulleys :20 and i 2! of the endless carrier are shown as having peripheral recesses 28 for permitting the passing of the cross-bars H and t3. These cross-bars are provided with :filler :pieces 29 for-said recesses 28 to properly support the belts 4 9 when passing-over said recesses.

These belt pulleys 20 and 2| are also shown as having iperip'heral recesses 34! for permitting '.the side register cross-bars 25 to pass. These-cross- -bar's 26 are provided with suitable filler pieces 3| for supporting the belts as they passoversaid recesses :30.

The sheet supporting and advancing means for evening and front and side registering the tem- .'porarily releasedsheets is shown as comprising the following elements:

lwo --longitudinally disposed groups or rows of diverging, angularly positioned, rollers 32 are loca'ted beneath the endlesscarrier, the adjacent inner ends of the said rollers being rotatably mounted-in bearings 33 pivoted along the inner adjacent roller frame bars 3-4. The outer ends of the said rollers :32 are rotatably mounted in bearings 35 which are pivoted along the bars 36 slidably mounted on the outerlongitudinal roller frame bars 3'! by gibs 31*.

I he-means which -I have shown for independently adjusting the slide bars 3%; to change the angular positions of the rollers 32 includes the following elements:

Manually turnable screws 38 are providedifor adjusting the-slide bars 36, the plainshanks of which screws are rotatably mountedagainst end- -wise mov ement in a depending flange 39 of the roller frame. The threaded portions of the said screws 38 pass through threaded hangers 40 which depend from said slide bars -36. These hangers 49 are guided along elongated slots 4| in said outer roller frame bars 31.

The means I have shownfor transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier to the impression cylinder 2 or other sheet receiving element, is shown as including the following elements:

A transfer cylinder 42 is provided with one or more sets of grippers 43. A fixed cam 44 serves to open these grippers to receive the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers l0, [2. Fixed cams 45 and 46 serve to open the transfer cylinder grippers 43 and the coacting set of impression cylinder grippers 4 to transfer the sheets from the transfer cylinder to the said impression cylinder.

The endless carrier is shown as driven at a :certain surface :speed from the impression cylinder '.-2 through the train of gears 41, 48, 49. The plate cylinders 3areprovided with gears 50 which are driven fromthe'impression cylinder gear 41.

The horizontally disposed groups or rows of evening and registering rollers 32 are rotated at a surface speed higher than that of the endless carrier, as follows:

Each of the two adjacent narrow endless belts 5:! passes :around the .front and rear rolls .52, 53. and under and over the pulleys .54. and respectively, the pulleys .54 being mounted on the roller frame and the pulleys 55 being fast .on the inneradjacent ends of the rollers I32, said pulleys 55 being of slightly lesser diameter than the rollers 32. The endless carrier .belt roll 23 is shown as driving the .front roll 52 through .a train of gears 56, 51, 58, '59.

.In operation, it will .be understood that when the sheets are to be registered by contact with the sheet steps 21 which .have been adjusted to their proper positions; the left .or near side of the group of .rollers .32 may be located in the angular position shown in .4, for instance, and the right or far group of rollers may be .ad- .justed to the angular .position shown .by .the dotted lines A; the side register stops at the far side beingmovedoutof the sheet .line.

When it is (desired .to print-on both sides .of the sheets, twice through, the left or far group .01 rollers are returned :to their position .shown in full lines in Fig. i, and the right -.or neargroup of rollers are .moved' to the. position shown by the dotted lines B. The .side register .stops .at the far side are moved inwardly .to their proper positions and the .side register .stops .at the :near side are .moved outwardly along their cross-bars beyond the -sheet 1ine.

It will be understood that variouschangesmay be resorted to in .the :form, .construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing --from thespiritand scope of this invention and hence it is :not :intended to be :limited to the particular embodiment shown and described herein.

What I: claimis:

1. In a .sheet vfeeding and registering mechanism, .asheet receiving element, .a sheet ied endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarilyreleasingthesheets from the said-grippers, front and side sheet register stops carried-.bythe endless .carrier, sheet supporting and advancing means for evening :the temporarily released sheets .and cooperating with .said register stops for front and side registering the sheets, and means for transferring the evened andregistered sheets from -the endless.carriengrippers to said sheetreceiving element.

-2. Inna sheet feeding and registering mechanism, -.a sheet receiving'element, va sheetfedaendless carrier travelling at a certain surfacev speed and provided with grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from said endless carrier-grippers, front and side sheet register stops carried bythe endless carrier, sheet supporting and advancing means travelling at a, higher surface speed for evening the temporarily released sheets and cooperating with said register stops for front and side registering the sheets, and means for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said sheet receiving element.

3. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier providedtwith grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means for, temporarily releasing the sheets from said endless carrier grippers, front and side sheet register stops, sheet supporting and advancing means for eveningjthe temporarily released sheets and cooperating with said register stops for front and side registering the sheets, and a rotary transfer cylinder for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said sheet receiving element. 4. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and provided with grippers operable to take and forward thesheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from said endless carrier grippers, front and side sheet register stops, sheet supporting and advancing means travelling at a higher surface speed for evening they temporarily released sheets and cooperating with said register stops for front and side registering the sheets, and a rotary transfer cylinder for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said sheet receiving element.

5. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, front and side sheet register stops, sheet supporting and advancing means for evening the temporarily released sheets and cooperating with said register stops for front and side registering the sheets,-and a rotary transfer cylinder for transferring the evened and, registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said impression cylinder.

6. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder, a sheet fed endless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and provided with grippers operable to take andforward the sheets,

means for temporarily releasing sheets from the endless carrier front and side sheet register stops, sheet supporting and advancing means travelling at a higher surface speed for evening the temporarily released sheets and cooperating with the said register stops for front and side registering the sheets, and a rotary transfer cylinder for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said impression cylinder. 7. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with sheet grippers operable to take and forward the sheets and with front and side sheetregisterstops, means for tempo- Irarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, sheet supporting and advancing means for evening the temporarily releasedsheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, and means for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers tosaid sheet receiving element.

8. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and provided with sheet grippers operable to take and forward the sheets and with front and side sheet register stops, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, sheet supporting and advancing means travelling at a higher surface speed for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, and means for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said sheet receiving element.

9. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with sheet grippers operable to take and forward the sheets and with front and side sheet register stops, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, sheet supporting and advancing means for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, and a rotary transfer cylinder for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said impression cylinder.

10. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder, a sheet fed endless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and provided with sheet grippers operable to take and forward the sheets and with front and side sheet register stops, means for temporarily releasing these sheets from the endless carrier grippers, sheet supporting and advancing means travelling at a higher surface speed for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, and a rotary transfer cylinder for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said impression cylinder.

11. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from said endless carrier grippers, front and side sheet register stops, side by side groups of diverging angularly positioned sheet supporting and advancing rollers for evening the temporarily released sheets and for front and side registering them against said registerstops', and means for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to the said sheet receiving element.

12. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and provided with grippers operable to take and side groups of diverging angularly positioned sheet supporting and advancing rollers rotating at a higher surface speed for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, and .meansfor transferring the evened and registered assume 7 sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said sheet receiving element.

*13. In 'a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means fortemporarily releasing the s'heets from the *carrier grippers, front and side sheet register stops, side by side groups .of diverging angularly positioned sheet supporting and advancing rollers for evening the temporarily released sheets and *for trout (and side registering them against said register stops, and .a rotary transfer :cy'linder for'transferr ing the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier to "said impression oylind'er.

=14. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder, a .sheet "fed endless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and provided with grippers operable to take and Eforward :thersheets, mean for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, front andlside sheet register stops, side #by side groups of rdiverging singularly positioned sheet supporting and ,advancing rollers rotating at :a :higher. surface speed for evening the temporarily released :sheets and for front and side registering :them against ssaid register: stops, and a rotary transfer cylinder for transferring the @even'ed and registered :sheets from the endless .carrier to said impression cylinder.

15. In a sheet feeding and ,registeringmechanism,1a sheet :neeeiving; element, .a-sheet fed lendless carrier provided-with: sheetg gripperszoperable to take and fdrward thezsheets and with front and :sidetshee't register :stops, meansufor temporarily releasing @the sheets :from the endless earr-ier grippers, side :by side ,groups of diverging angularly ,,positioned sheet supporting and .advancing rollers for evening the temporarily released sheets'and-for front and sideregistering themagainst saidlregister stops, andmeans for transferring the evened .and registered sheets from .the endless carrier grippers .to said sheet receiving element.

16. In a sheet feeding and registering-mechanisrn, a'sheet receivingelement, asheet-Ifedlendless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and provided with sheet grippers operable'to take and forward the 'sh'eets "and with front and side register stops, means for temporarily releasing thesheets from'the endless "carrier gripperacside by side groups 'ofnivergmg angularly positioned sheet supporting *and'advancingrollers rotating at ah'igher surface-speed foreveningthe temporarily rel-eased sheets and for "front an d'sideregistering them against said register stops, and 'meansfor-transferring the evened --andregistered sheets from the'endless carrier-grippers"to said 7 sheet receiving element.

17 In a sheetfeeding -andregistering mechanism:forrotarytprinting: presses, an impression cylinder, assheet lfed endless carrier provided with: sheet grippers operable tota'keand: forward .the sheetsiand with frontand side sheet register -stops,rmeanslfor'temporarily releasingthesheets from p the :aendless Joarrier grippers, side by side groups of :2diverging angularly positioned sheet supporting and advancing, rollers forseveningr the temporarily l released :sheets :and I for J front and side, registering-them againstesaid; registepxstops, and i8, rotary transfer izcylinder I'fOI' transferring :the evened andi-registered :sheets; fromi the endless iearrierogrippers:ito asaid impressionecylimier.

18. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder, a sheet fed endless carrier travelling at a rcertain surface speed and provided with sheet grippers operable :to take and forward the sheets and with front and side sheet register stops, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, side by side groups (xf diverging angular-1y positioned sheet supporting and advancing rollers rotating at a higher surface speed for evening the temporarily released sheets and for front and side registering them against said register stops, and a rotary transfer cylinder for transferring the vened and registered sheets from the endlesscarrier grippers to said impression cylinder.

059. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, asheet receivin element, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take :and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasingthe sheets from the endless carrier grippers, front and side sheet register stops, side lay-side groups of diverging angularly positioned sheet supporting and advancing rollers for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, means for transferring the evened and registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to said sheet receiving element, and means for adjusting the angularity of the rollers of each group.

20. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder, asheetfed endlesscarrier provided with gripperszoperable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from said grippers, front and side sheet register stops, side ihy'side groups of diverging angularly positionedsheet supporting and advancing rollers for eveninglthe temporarily-released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, a rotary transfer cylinder fortransferring theevened and registered sheets from the'endless lcarrierztosaid impressioncylinder, and means for adjusting the angularityof the rollers of each group.

.21. Ina sheet feedingzand registering mechanism, a sheet-feeding element, a sheet fed endless oarrierprovided with grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, front and sidesheetregister stops, and sheet-supportingand advancing means for evenmg thetemporarilyreleased sheets and front and sidemegistering them againstsaid register stops, said ;last 1 named means comprising a suitable :f-rameand side. by side groups of diverging angularly positioned rollers, means for permanently pivoting the-endsof the rollers alongone side :ofs'each .groupto the frame, and means for independently. adjusting the other end of the rollers coil-each group.

,22.;In:.a sheet feedin andregistering mecha- -.n-1sm, 'a sheet feeding element, a sheet fed endless carrienprovided withgrippers operable to take andrforward-the sheets, means for temporarily ;releasing (the :sheets from the endless carrier gripperafront andside sheet register stops, and sheet supporting and advancing Ineansfor evenmg .the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them aga inst .said register istopsppaiddastnamed means comprising a suit- :able frame, harsslidable thereon, side by side having =gtheir ends .along one sidev of eaeh group rotatably; mountedinrbearings pivotedalong the frame and their other ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along their respective slide bars, and hand screws for independently moving the slide bars to adjust the angularity Of the rollers of each group.

23. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet feeding element, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, front and side sheet register stops, and sheet supporting and advancing means for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, said last named means comprising a suitable frame, side bars slidable thereon, and side by side groups of diverging angularly positioned rollers having their inner ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along the frame and their outer ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along their respective side bars, and means for independently sliding the side bars to adjust the angularity of the rollers of each group.

24. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet feeding element, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with sheet grippers operable to take and forward the sheets and head and side register stops, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, and sheet supporting and advancing means for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, said last named means comprising a suitable frame, side bars slidable thereon, and side by side groups of diverging angularly positioned rollers having their inner ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along the frame and their outer ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along their respective side bars, and means for independently sliding the side bars to adjust the angularity of the rollers of each group.

25. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet feeding element, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, front and side sheet register stops, and sheet supporting and advancing means for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said register stops, said last named means comprising a suitable frame, side bars slidable thereon, and side by side groups of diverging angularly positioned rollers having their inner ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along the frame and their outer ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along their respective side bars, and hand screws for independently sliding the side bars to adjust the angularity of the rollers of each group.

26. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet feeding element, a sheet fed endless carrier provided with sheet grippers operable to take and forward the sheets and head and side register stops, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, and sheet supporting and advancing means for evening the temporarily released sheets and front and side registering them against said stops, said last named means comprising a suitable frame,

side bars slidable thereon, and side by side groups of diverging angularly positioned rollers having their inner ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along the frame and their outer ends rotatably mounted in bearings pivoted along their respective side bars, and hand screws for independently sliding the side bars to adjust the angularity of the rollers of each group.

27. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a, sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier including side chains and intermediate belts, cross bars connecting the side chains, sheet grippers, front register stops and side register stops carried by their respective cross bars said sheet grippers being operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from their endless carrier grippers, means for evening the temporarily released sheets and registering them against said front and side stops, and means for transferring the evened and registered sheets to said sheet receiving element.

28. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and including side chains and intermediate belts, cross bars connecting the side chains, sheet grippers, front register stops and side register stops carried by their respective cross bars, said sheet grippers being operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from their endless carrier grippers, means travelling at a higher surface speed for evening the temporarily released sheets and registering them against said front and side stops, and means for transferring the evened and registered sheets to said sheet receiving element.

29. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier including side chains and intermediate belts, cross bars connecting the side chains, sheet grippers, front register stops and side register stops carried by their respective cross bars, said sheet grippers being operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from their endless carrier grippers, sheet supporting and advancing angularly positioned rollers for evening the temporarily released sheets and registering them against said front and side stops, and means for transferring the evened and registered sheets to said sheet receiving element.

30. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, sheet receiving element, a sheet fed endless carrier travelling at a certain surface speed and including side chains and intermediate belts, cross bars connecting the side chains, sheet grippers, front register stops and side register stops carried by their respective cross bars, said sheet grippers being operable to take and forward the sheets, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from their endless carrier grippers, sheet supporting and advancing angularly positioned rollers rotating at a higher speed for evening the temporarily released sheets and registering them against said front and side stops, and means for transferring the evened and registered sheets to said sheet receiving element.

HANS J. LUEHRS.

No references cited. 

